Jen Psaki Blames Republicans For Refusing To Raise Debt Limit; Avoids Ruling Out Mitch McConnell's Proposal

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, slams Senate Republicans for obstructing Democratic efforts to increase the debt ceiling before the October 18 deadline.

One day after signaling that President Joe Biden would sign Democrats' reconciliation regardless of whether the Hyde amendment is included, Psaki disputed the notion that the president is "backtracking" on his opposition to the amendment.

When asked if he would still sign it if it included the Hyde amendment, a requirement that bans public money from being used to support abortions, Biden said Tuesday he wanted to get the big social spending measure approved and would "sign it either way."

Biden previously mocked McConnell over debt ceiling

The cost of the reconciliation package is still being negotiated between the party's moderate and progressive members, National Review reported. Progressives forced the House to postpone a vote on a separate $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill last week because they refused to support it until Congress acts on the reconciliation bill.

Progressives forced the House to postpone a vote on a separate $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill last week because they refused to support it until Congress acts on the reconciliation bill. President Biden sought to ease intraparty strife with a compromise topline of $1.9 trillion to $2.2 trillion for Democrats' reconciliation plan.

Biden has previously slammed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his caucus, calling their actions "hypocritical, dangerous, and disgraceful" for objecting to Democrats' attempts to approve a debt-ceiling deal.

Republicans are attempting to compel Democrats to use reconciliation to raise the debt ceiling, bypassing the Senate filibuster. At the same time, the White House demands that Republicans not filibuster the already-passed House debt ceiling bill.

On Wednesday, the House voted 219-212 to postpone raising the debt ceiling until December 2022, after the midterm elections next year.

McConnell thwarted Democratic efforts to raise debt limit

"We must get a bill on the president's desk dealing with the debt limit by the end of the week," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote to colleagues Monday morning, as per Daily Mail.

Last week, McConnell thwarted numerous Democratic attempts to raise the debt ceiling by unanimous consent. Now, Biden is concerned that Republicans would filibuster it, requiring 60 votes to proceed.

Per Fox News, Jen Psaki would not rule out the possibility that President Biden might support Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's plan for a short-term debt limit extension. However, Psaki made it clear that the White House's desire is not a short-term solution.

The remarks follow McConnell's suggestion on Wednesday to temporarily suspend the United States' debt ceiling until a more permanent solution could be achieved.

The interim agreement may relieve pressure on legislators who are now racing against the clock to increase the debt ceiling before the October 18 deadline, when the Treasury Department predicts the United States would likely exhaust its capacity to pay its debts.